Highlander's Charm (Highlander Heat #3)

“What did you see? I was told they’d come.”


“The last one was of us wandering through a meadow. You spoke of warriors dying there. Is there a field somewhere here with an abundance of wildflowers?”

“There is. Did your vision show you this?”

“Yes.” She clasped shaky hands in her lap. “Who told you these visions would come?”

“An old woman. Show me the light.”

She pressed the device’s side and light flared. “This watch has a battery which conveys electricity.”

“’Tis a magical device.” Incredible. He crossed the room, gathered her flippers from the side table and shook the webbed ends. “These appear as if they would aid you in moving swiftly through the water, as duck’s feet would.”

“Yes, they do. Take a look at my mask as well.” She slid it from around her neck and handed it over.

He pressed it against his face as he’d first seen it on her. Rimming his eyes and nose, it stuck to his skin.

“The tube on the side goes into your mouth and allows you to swim without the need to come up for air.” She stood behind him and angled it just so.

“’Tis clever.” Aye, her belongings were wondrous, and she’d come to him from the sea, amongst a burst of enthralling lights. He cupped her cheek, stroked his thumb across her smooth skin. “’Tis my duty to aid you, and the past must be set to rights, yet you speak of coming from the future. Certainly you have strange belongings which dinnae exist, but I’ve no’ spoken a mistruth. The year is fifteen-ninety. Do you too speak the truth?” Anything was possible considering the old woman’s words.

“Yes.” She paced the chamber. “If what we’re both saying is true, then that means I’ve traveled through time, which would explain a few things.”

“If you’ve come from the future, then ’tis a miracle. I was told you’d come, by a fortuneteller who gave me a charm.”

“A fortuneteller gave Nanna a charm too. Oh, this is crazy. Incredible, but crazy.” She dug into her pocket, pulled out a coin and passed it across. “Nanna sent me this charm, along with a note telling me to never let it go. Are you the Calum mentioned on this coin? It’s a relic from this time.”

Carefully, he smoothed over the inscription. “Aye. My coin is identical to yours.” He fished it from his pocket and passed it to her. “Three days past, a fortuneteller gave this to me. She said the past must be set to rights. That you would come, and that I must keep you safe from the sea and never let you go. She said we are bound, and to embrace the coming visions.”

“I can’t believe I’ve traveled through time.” She stared at it. “Yet it all makes eerie sense. How else could I have ended up here, miles from where I should have been?”

“Gifted charms are considered lucky talismans. Ours appear to hold some kind of magical power too.”

“Nanna’s here as well, in the past.” She bent, hands to her knees as she sucked in a long breath. “I made a wish upon my charm, not long before I tumbled into the water and was dragged under. I asked to find Nanna, alive and well. She went missing from the future, and now I finally know where she disappeared to. I have to find her.”

“We shall, as soon as it is safe to do so. War rages, and far too close to our shores.” He tipped up her chin and traced along her lower lip. “It appears charms and wishes have brought you to me. You understand you cannae speak of this? Claims of such would be considered witchery and lead you no’ to your grandmother, but the stake.”

“I understand.” She rested her forehead against his chest then wrapped her shaky hands around his waist. “Sorry, a little shock is setting in.”

“We’re bound by these charms and by a fortuneteller’s decree.” He pulled her closer. “I willnae fail in my duty to you.”

“Thank you, and regardless of whatever magic brought me here, I’m glad it was to you.”

“As am I.”

Relief coursed through him.

She was his, and she was back.



Lila snuggled into Calum’s embrace. She’d made a wish and something magical had happened, except she’d arrived at a time of great feuding between her clan and Calum’s. Nanna had also told those here she was a Cunningham and not a MacIan, a wise move. Doing so would give Nanna the protection of another clan’s name, a clan who weren’t deeply immersed in this particular war. A precaution she needed to take too.

A wave of emotions tumbled through her, shock and fear, as well as apprehension over what lay ahead, and relief at being so much closer to finding Nanna. Overcome, she shuddered and tangled her fingers in his damp shirt.

“Are you all right?” Calum stroked her back, his touch warm and firm.

“I wished for this. I’ll be fine once I’ve had some time to take it all in.” And once she’d armed herself with as much information as she could. “Does John MacIan hold Mingary?”

“Aye, and the MacIans and MacDonalds are at war against my kin.”